


Heart Breaker

by Rain4sasha



Category: Dancing with the Stars (US) RPF, Figure Skating RPF
Genre: F/M, Friendship/Love, Male-Female Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-29
Updated: 2014-06-29
Packaged: 2018-02-06 19:11:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1869171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rain4sasha/pseuds/Rain4sasha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Where in Charlie watches as men throw themselves at Meryl's feet, and Meryl opens herself up to love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heart Breaker

As soon as Charlie found out who was going to be Meryl's dance partner he could already see how the next few months would play out. Maks had a reputation that preceded him and Charlie was sure that Meryl would take advantage of that reputation. On top of his reputation, Charlie knew that Maks was just Meryl's type. Tall, dark, athletic, proud, self-assured. To sweeten the pot he was even eastern European.

Charlie called Meryl the evening after their first practice. They'd exchanged brief texts earlier just to share who their partners were.

Meryl: Who'd you end up with?

Charlie: Sharna Burgess. You?

Meryl: Maksim "Sex-on-a-stick" Chmerkovskiy

Charlie: Oh lord. Talk later?

Meryl: Of course

When Charlie had called Meryl he could practically hear her smirk through the phone, though she was polite enough not to brag.

"So how was your afternoon with Sharna?" Meryl had started kindly.

"It went really well. She is absolutely hilarious. And was thrilled to see me walk through the door."

"Of course she was Charles. You are an Olympic Gold Medal winning ice dancer after all." Meryl emphasized the word 'dancer' in a teasing manner.

"Well it's just nice to be appreciated once and a while!" He responded in a likewise tone.

"Charles! Are you saying I don't appreciate you!?"

Charlie laughed out loud on the phone. Poking fun at Meryl was one of his favorite past times. Lightening her mood always lightened his own.

"You know what I mean. I think she mentioned something about me having more dancing prowess in my left foot than all of her previous partners combined."

"Now you're just making things up." Meryl exhaled, rolling her eyes.

"Maybe. Are you glad to be paired with Maks?" Charlie asked, already knowing the answer.

Meryl paused, suddenly becoming coy. "I think we'll make a great team."

Charlie knew she was already thinking about the next few months and musing to herself what they might become. He sighed and shook his head a little. "Just be careful, Davis."

"I always am, White."

Charlie knew that Meryl would be. He almost wondered if it were Maks that he should be warning.

===

Growing up together Charlie learned quickly that Meryl was a perfectionist. While he didn't realize it at the time, looking back Charlie could see the signs even during that first practice together. Meryl had been the one to reach out and take Charlie's hand even though he was the more experience skater. Just like that she became the driving force behind their partnership. Meryl was focused, ambitious, and determined. She ran through her elements and routines until they were perfect. She had learned to be a hard worker when it had been twice as difficult for her to learn to read as her classmates. That attitude permeated every aspect of Meryl's life.

With all of the time that Meryl put in to being the best student, best flutist, best ice dancer, best Meryl it didn't leave a ton of time for best friends and boyfriends. Charlie knew Meryl had friends because she would mention the sleepovers and birthday parties. He knew she had crushes on boys by the way she asked him his opinion, "What do you think of Todd?" or "What does it mean if a boy calls you 'rad'?" (Todd was nice, but a bit boring by Charlie's standards. If a boy calls you 'rad' he's trapped in the 80s and you should buy him a calendar and a thesaurus.)

Things kept on like that for most of their childhood and teenage years, until Charlie broke his ankle, which had forced them to sit out a competitive season. While Meryl and Charlie were devastated at first that their practicing and competing had to come to a screeching halt, it was actually a blessing in disguise. It gave them both the chance to enjoy their senior year of high school without having to balance the pressure of competitive ice dance. They were able to be normal high school kids for a few months.

Meryl threw herself into the circle of friends that she used to only be able to see on the rare day off from practice. Shortly after she had her first serious boyfriend. Meryl devoted herself to those friendships and that relationship. As always she gave 100% to what she was focused on. She was going to be the best friend and best girlfriend there ever was.

Meryl had a few good months and even went to prom with the boy. Charlie didn't hear much from her during those times. Then all of a sudden Meryl started calling him again, almost daily. She wanted to know how his ankle was doing, wanted him to meet her at the rink, wanted to talk over what the next season would bring for the pair. Charlie could tell long before she finally fessed up to it. Meryl had been dumped. Charlie never got the full story, he never blatantly asked, but Meryl was heartbroken. So even though he still wasn't cleared to skate, he would meet Meryl at the rink and watch her skate laps. Meryl would skate quickly, each lap faster than the last until she had to stop because she couldn't catch her breath.

One of those times Meryl was going so fast she finally just had to stop and sit down on the ice. Charlie hobbled over to the boards and asked her, only partially teasing "What're you running from Davis?"

"Huh?" She huffed, her face red and breath coming fast.

"You're going so fast. I just wondered what was chasing you."

Meryl looked at him and his heart sunk. She looked both puzzled, wondering what kind of answer he really wanted, and deeply sad. Meryl had given all of herself to that relationship and it had failed. Charlie had already had his fair share of girlfriends by the end of high school. He knew that break-ups were par for the course. Relationships came and went. There were always other fish in the sea. But Meryl was so intense, so driven, she couldn't see the sea for the fish. She just saw herself as a failure, and that sadness shone out of her eyes at Charlie.

"I just want to be the best ice dancer that there is Charlie. I'm not going to let anything get in my way." And even though she didn't say it, Charlie could hear the addendum loud and clear, 'No boys, no relationships, no heartbreak.'

In college, Meryl began perfecting the art of heartbreaking. She'd been burned once and she wasn't ready to give any guy another chance. Not while there were medals to be won. But while she wasn't looking to get into another relationship that didn't mean she didn't appreciate a little male attention now and then.

Meryl had decided to pledge Delta Delta Delta at her mother's encouragement. She was nervous at first, unsure if she could balance her classes and training with an intense pledging process. However it turned out that being an Olympic bound athlete had its perks. It looked good for the chapter to have an internationally recognized skated amongst their sisterhood and they cut her some slack when she needed it.

Being in a sorority had given Meryl an instant social life. She didn't have to work to make friends or meet guys, they came built in with her lifetime membership. Meryl enjoyed the midnight waffles and movie marathons with her new sisters. She loved the mixers during Greek Week. Meryl would spend the whole night dancing closely and flirting with a brother from whatever chapter Tri-Delt had been paired. She would demurely pass on invitations back to some guys room at the end of the night. She would always politely take the brother's phone number but never ended up calling. Meryl would have ended up with the reputation of a tease, but sorority sister could make up the best PR firm ("Of course she didn't call you. She doesn't have time for that, she is training for the OLYMPICS.")

Charlie had the chance to see this new flirty side of Meryl firsthand when she invited him to a stoplight party that her sorority was throwing. Meryl had rolled her eyes when Charlie insisted on wearing red, out of respect for his latest girlfriend. Meryl tried to needle him into at least wearing yellow ("You're not going to have any fun!") but Charlie White was nothing if not faithful. Meryl was wearing a neon green tank dress so bright it almost hurt Charlie's eyes.

When they got to the house party the place was already exploding with people. Meryl tried to pull Charlie into the dancing mob with her but he opted instead to stand on the outskirts and nurse a beer. While he chatted with the occasional girl who passed him by, for the most part he just watched Meryl work the room. He was impressed to see his typically shy partner out of her shell, laughing and dancing with several different girls and guys.

Charlie watched her settle in with one specific guy wearing green, dancing close to him, looking deeply in his eyes, brushing her lips against his ear as she leaned in to speak to him. Charlie recognized the look on the man's face as that over the moon hopeful look, like he might actually get lucky with this goddess he met at a party. At one point Meryl looked over her shoulder and saw Charlie watching. She winked at him then stuck out her tongue playfully.

As the night grew later, or more like the morning drew nearer, the man in green seemed to grow antsy, clearly wondering if his luck would hold out. His hands roamed over Meryl's body, though she was clearly unfazed. Charlie almost felt bad for the guy. He knew that the only man Meryl would be going home with that night was him. Charlie watched as the guy leaned in whispering closely to Meryl for a few minutes, his head bobbing rapidly as Meryl's slowly shook back and forth. Finally Meryl leaned in and kissed the guy, long and slow, before cutting it off, turning on her heel and making a bee line right for Charlie. Charlie watched as the green man's face fell into a look mixed of bewilderment and heartbreak.

"We gotta go." Meryl took his hand and laced her fingers with Charlie's, tugging him towards the door.

"Why the rush?" Charlie asked once they exited the house.

"If we stuck around it would ruin my exit strategy." Meryl mused.

"Wait, what?"

"Never mind. Did you have fun?"

"Sure." Charlie shrugged. It wasn't really his scene, but he didn't want to bring Meryl down. "You look like you had fun."

"You know it." She smiled, starting to swing their arms, still holding Charlie's hand as they walked back towards campus.

"You are quite the conundrum, Ms. Davis." He sighed.

"And why do you say that, Mr. White?"

"Well I can't decide if I should ask you why you even give those guys the time of day or ask why you haven't just settled down with one already."

Meryl literally laughed out loud, though Charlie didn't know what was funny about what he had said. A beat passed before she collected her thoughts and responded. Charlie could tell she was weighing how deep of answer to give him.

"I give them the time of day because it is fun. And I haven't decided to settle down with any of them yet because you're right, I shouldn't even be giving them the time of day." Then it was Charlie's turn to laugh out loud.

"Besides," Meryl stopped and suddenly pulled Charlie close into one of their ice dancing holds, as if they were going to quickstep down the sidewalk. "We are going places, Charlie White! Places where no American ice dancing team has gone before!"

Charlie could see what all of those boys saw in Meryl. She was confident, charming, spontaneous, witty, and effortlessly beautiful. But he also saw something that all those other boys didn't see until it was too late. Meryl Davis was a heart breaker.

===

Shortly after meeting their partners for Dancing with the Stars Meryl broke up with the longest boyfriend she ever had, Fedor. Meryl and Fedor had been dating for around two years, though they'd only actually been in the same city for six months of that time at most. Charlie wasn't surprised when Meryl had let him know she had broken up with Fedor. He was more surprised that Meryl had lasted two years in the relationship.

Saying that Maks was a flirt was an understatement. Charlie watched the way the younger girls melted under his gaze. The older girls knew better. They let Maks' charm roll off their back. They'd already seen the way Maks blew through dancers and stars alike. Several of those girls had tried to have a private word with Meryl, to warn her. A few, Sharna and Peta included, even said something to Charlie. Charlie assured them that Meryl was a big girl and could handle herself, that he had stopped trying to tell her what to do long ago (though the truth was he was no dummy, he had never told Meryl what to do).

No, Charlie was more worried for Maks. At first Maks played it cool with Meryl. He tried to charm her the way he did the young new dancers on the show. But Meryl was not to be played. She saw through Maks' slick words. She called his bluff. When Maks snapped at Meryl during practice she stood tall and let his harsh words blow past her. She didn't wilt and cry, nor did she engage with him and fight back. She saw past the mask that he had put on for the real man he was on the inside.

At the same token, Charlie started to see Meryl's mask begin to slip. The change was ever so slight that someone else may not have noticed, but Charlie had spent the last seventeen years of his life reading Meryl's non verbal body cues. He knew that she was beginning to open up to Maks too. At first Meryl had appeared a little stiff in Maks' arms as he draped himself all over her, but she began to soften and reciprocate his touch. She began to smile at Maks the way she smiled when she was truly happy, a wide toothy grin usually reserved for Charlie, her mom, or her best friends. Not the sly, lips pursed smirk that she had always given to the men in her past. Yes, the signs were there that something was changing in Meryl as well.

Charlie and Meryl were leaving together for their Stars on Ice Tour after the third week of competition on the show. Charlie was waiting for Meryl outside the studio as they were going to ride together to the airport and take a red eye back to the East coast. Maks and Meryl came walking out together, arm in arm. Charlie watched from his car as Maks pulled Meryl in for a hug. He held her tight for several moments and tilted his head down, clearly whispering in her ear. When they pulled apart Meryl kissed his cheek before walking alone towards the car where Charlie waited inside. Charlie watched Maks' face. As Meryl left, Charlie was shocked to see the expression Maks wore was oddly similar to the look the guy in green had shown many years ago at the party.

"So what was that?" Charlie asked Meryl once she'd climbed into the car.

"Nothing." Meryl let out a long breath, deciding what to tell Charlie. "He's just making a big deal about the switch up and how much he's going to miss me. I can't tell if he's being serious or just trying to get in my head."

"Huh."

"What?"

"No. Nothing."

"Out with it Charles. You're clearly thinking something."

"I just... I think he's being serious."

"Why? How can you be sure?"

"He's just got that look about him." Meryl stared at him, imploring him to go on. "I know the way he talks to the other girls, the way he looks at the troupe dancers. That's not how he looks at you Meryl. He looks at you the same way all those guys back at Michigan did. Like he worships the ground you walk on."

Meryl chewed on her lip and mulled over Charlie's words. She liked Maks but she felt like she was playing with fire. Maks had quite the reputation and history. She was having fun with him. He was the first man in a long, long time that was challenging her instead of just yielding to her. It made their time together feel more fulfilling but it also made her feel more at risk.

Charlie watched Meryl out of the corner of his eye. She gazed out the passenger window deep in thought. Even though it was dark out and Meryl's face was mostly in shadow, Charlie could tell what was going on inside her head.

Charlie ventured on, "You know, both Tony and Val seem to think he's falling hard for you. And if it counts for anything, I think it's worth a shot."

"I don't know, I just can't be sure."

Charlie slowed the car to a stop at an intersection. He turned to look Meryl square in the eye, her face illuminated by the red light. Meryl looked scared. Not pre competition scared, or turbulence on a long flight scared, but a subtle, timid, emotional fear. In the back of her eyes Charlie saw that same heartbroken girl who he had watched speed lap after lap around the rink. What're you running from Davis?

In that moment Charlie realized what he should have seen all along. Meryl's heartbreaker persona was just her way to keep her distance and defend her own heart. She didn't want to get hurt, so she didn't put herself out there. If she could justify these dalliances with frat boys and arrogant skaters who weren't worth her giving them the time of day then she didn't feel like she was wasting her time. These were just fling, something casual that wasn't going anywhere. She didn't have to give 100% of herself to those guys. 

"Look, Maks could be the man for you or he may not be. But if you rule it from the start as just another fling and never give it an honest try, you'll never know. Love is a choice. It's the choice to take a leap."

"But what if I make the choice and I fail?" Meryl asked quietly.

"I think Maks is being genuine and is worth the chance, but more importantly I think you are worth the chance. You are worth being loved, totally and completely. You're not going to find someone to do that if you don't try." At that Charlie took Meryl's hand, "And if you do try, and it doesn't work out then I'm going to be here to remind you that the chance was worthwhile. I'll be here, and Tanith, and Brooke, and all of your sorority sisters, and the moms, and everyone who loves you. We will remind you that you are worthwhile and the chance at love is worth the risk. Love isn't just something that gets in the way, not if you're doing it right."

"Thank you Charlie." Meryl smiled a little and squeezed his hand.

"And if it doesn't work out, and you need someone to do laps with you around the rink I'll try to keep up."

At that Meryl playfully hit Charlie's shoulder and they both started cracking up.

**Author's Note:**

> Initially I was going to write this more as a Maks/Meryl piece, however with all the drama lately I had trouble writing a happy ending for them. I decided to just go with an ambiguous ending and focus more on Charlie and Meryl's friendship.


End file.
